Key information
Petition presented by: Roger Evans
Date petition submitted: Wednesday 14 November 2012
Petition presented at: London Assembly Plenary
Summary of petition
“We the undersigned call upon the Mayor of London to ensure that Hornchurch Police Station is not closed and the land sold off as an outcome of the current review of the Metropolitan Police Service Estates.
Closing Hornchurch Police Station is totally unacceptable to the residents of the southern half of Havering.”
Response information
Name of person responding: Stephen Greenhalgh, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime
Response date: Wednesday 5 December 2012
“Dear Jennette,
Petition received at the London Assembly (Plenary) meeting on 14 November 2012
Thank you for letter of 21 November 2012 and for forwarding the petition presented by Roger Evans AM to the London Assembly at its plenary meeting on 14 November 2012.
I understand local residents concerns regarding maintaining a strong police presence and visibility in their area and that a number of rumours may be circulation relating to police premises. However, I can assure them that no decision has been made so far relating to Hornchurch Police Station.
The Mayor has a very clear commitment that no police front counter will close unless an equivalent or better facility for public access has been identified.
The Mayor’s priority is to maintain and where possible improve public access to the police. Therefore, the Mayor’s Office of Policing And Crime (MOPAC) is exploring a whole range of options on how Londoners can access the police in new, better, and more convenient ways.
The Mayor has also committed to maintaining police numbers at or around 32,000 officers in London. By reforming the back office, reviewing the property estate and cutting back the Met HQ, necessary savings can be found to balance the budget whilst maintain officer numbers at this level.
Therefore any savings made from reviewing the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) estate can help ensure that office numbers are kept high and neighbourhood policing is enhanced, so we need a full review.
The MPS is developing a strategy to improve public access to the police in London including a review of its large property estate. Formal proposals will then be put before MOPAC for a final decision to be taken by myself as the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.
It might be useful to know that before any decision is taken by MOPAC, the Deputy Commissioner of the MPS has announced that local police leaders will engage with the public and its partners for six weeks from 31 October, to set out the local picture and listen to community reaction, as well as explain some of the changes they are exploring. This gives local residents a chance to feed in their concerns locally.
Based on these 32 local conversations, in December the MPS will submit its revised estates strategy to MOPAC for approval. Only after that will a final decision be taken by myself as the Deputy Mayor for Policing and crime.
I hope this reassures you and local residents that the Mayor of London and I are committed to improving public access and police visibility, but that there is also a need to take a strategic approach so we can make best use of resources in the coming years.”